Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has urged Prime Minister Narendra Mo- di to expedite the process to set up a tribunal to settle the Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

"I strongly urge your goodself to expedite the issuance of notification for constitution of tribunal. The delay in constituting the tribunal has been taken advantage of by the state of Chhattisgarh which is going ahead with the construction works of six barrages on Mahanadi river, which is likely to prejudicially affect the interests of Odisha and its inhabitants, during non-monsoon period," Naveen said in the letter, copies of which were released to the media on Wednesday.

Naveen also cited the Supreme Court's directive of October 9 in which it clearly mentioned that a notification on formation of a tribunal should be issued by November 19. The directive had been issued following a petition in the court by Odisha government.

The state government had also filed a statutory complaint with the Centre on November 19 last year under the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, urging it to constitute a water dispute tribunal.

On July 25, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and the Centre had presented their views before the apex court that was considering the state's petition seeking direction to its neighbour to stop construction work in the upstream of the Mahanadi. It also urged the court to direct the Centre to constitute a tribunal to adjudicate the matter.

In the last few years, Odisha has upped the ante on the demand for the tribunal since the Chhattisgarh government had been unilaterally constructing barrages on the river.

Naveen had earlier raised the issue with Modi and cited how Chhattisgarh was opposed to the tribunal but had erected gates of Kalma barrage and then closed the same blocking free flow of water to Odisha.

BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said: "We are fighting the issue in many ways. First, is the legal dimension seeking a tribunal to adjudicate the case. At the same time, we also want Central Water Commission and Chhattisgarh to understand that water flow in Mahanadi during the lean period should be maintained to avoid making it a dry river. The water release during floods should be effectively regulated."

He said the BJD would continue to mobilise public opinion on the issue.